December 31st
by Natters13
Summary: DL welcome in the New Year with a surprise.  My first ever fanfic.


**A/N: **This is my first fanfic so please try to be nice even if you hate it. It's just a harmless piece of DL fluff. I know it's weird posting this in July when it's set on New Year's Eve but just ignore that fact. I tried posting it earlier but my computer had a spaz attack and it got deleted.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything to do with CSI:NY or its characters.

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**December 31****st**** 11.45pm**

Night had taken New York City hours ago and a freezing wind was blowing around the skyscrapers but Danny Messer stood on the roof of the NYPD offices leaning against the railings that prevented him from falling. The sounds of people waiting for midnight in the city below were lost on him. He was thinking, hoping and dreaming all at once. Thinking about the past year and a half he'd spent with her. Hoping that his plan would go seamlessly and the she wouldn't suspect a thing. And dreaming of their future and what lay ahead of them if she said yes. Just over 3 weeks ago he'd asked for Stella's help and he prayed that she would remember her part of the plan.

**December 12****th**** 5.20pm**

Stella walked into her office and collapsed on to her chair. It had been a tough case and they finally got the guy who did it but she still had a mountain of paperwork to do before she went home.

She got the required papers out of the file and started trying to organise them. While she was doing this, Danny had walked up to her door and knocked.

"Jesus Danny! You should know better than to sneak up on people like that," Stella said getting up to pick up the bits of paper that now covered the floor around her desk.

"Sorry Stel, I didn't realise you were so jumpy!" said Danny with his trademark smirk. "I can come back later if you want."

"No you're here now but first you have to help me pick these up." Danny walked around her desk and bent down to help her. "So what can I do for you? Judging by the look on your face I'd say it was important."

"Er….. Yeah, it is," Danny hesitated, not knowing how to continue. "Umm I wanted to talk to you about something but you have to promise me you won't say anything to anyone, especially not Lindsay."

"Ooookay," she said slowly, looking at him questioningly.

"Whatever. Look I really need your help…" Danny looked behind him to see if anyone would be able to hear them "…I want to propose to Lindsay." He whispered.

Stella broke out into a smile that would surely crack her face in two. "Oh My God Danny that's great!!! You two make the perfect couple." She cried throwing her arms round his neck and pulling him into a hug.

"Thanks Stel, but I have no idea how I'm gonna do it. I need your help! And please don't talk so loud I don't want anyone to know."

"Sorry I'm just so happy for you!" Stella whispered this time. "So when were you thinking of doing it?"

"I dunno. Sometime over the next couple of weeks." He suggested.

"Good. And you want me to help you plan?"

"Please. But we can't do this here. You're off on Monday, right?

"Yeah but doesn't Lindsay have Monday off too?"

"She does but she's spending it with her Uncle. Could we meet up and plan how I'm gonna do this?"

Stella shrugged. "Sure. Do you have a ring or do we need to go shopping?"

"No we need to go shopping. Hope you don't mind?" Danny said smirking.

"Very funny Messer. You know I'd never turn down the chance to go shopping."

"Great. Well I'll pick you up at 10."

And with that they said goodbye. Danny walked off to see whether Flack was free for a drink after work and Stella got back to her paperwork. She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she thought how ironic it was that Danny Messer, of all people, was planning on proposing to a woman when three years ago he stated that he'd never fall in love.

**December 15****th**** 6.00pm**

After visiting what felt like every jewellers in New York and creating and going over the plan a million times, Danny and Stella slumped back in their chairs in Stella's apartment. They'd spent just over four hours going from store to store in their quest to find the perfect ring for Lindsay. They almost always disagreed on every ring they saw, unless they both hated it, until Danny found a beautiful one and a half carrat diamond set in a platinum band. He'd paid and they'd returned to her apartment.

Now all he had to do was wait for New Year's and pray that she said yes.

**December 31****st**** 11.49pm**

Lindsay was wandering around the lab in an attempt to find Danny. It was bad enough that they both had to work on New Year's Eve but she was determined to find and welcome in the New Year with him.

She looked into Mac's office where everyone was meeting to celebrate at midnight but she couldn't see him. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Stella approach.

"Hey Stel have you seen Danny? He said he had some things to do before midnight."

"I saw him go up to the roof. He wants you to meet him up there." Stella said trying to hide a smile. Luckily Lindsay was too busy wondering why Danny would want her to meet him on the roof to see her friend's reaction.

"Okay thanks." Lindsay started to walk to the elevator.

"Oh and Linds. You might want to grab your coat. It'll be freezing up there." Stella called to her friend's retreating back.

"I will." Lindsay changed direction towards the locker room. She walked over to her locker, grabbed her coat and went to the elevator and pushed the call button. When it arrived she entered and pressed the button for the top floor. _He better have a good reason for dragging me up here. If he only wants to show me the fireworks then I'm going to be really annoyed because I can see them from all over the lab._ She stepped out onto the top floor and took a right towards the stairs that led to the roof. Lindsay pushed open the door and felt the strong city wind rushing past her. She saw him standing looking out over the beautiful New York skyline.

**11.54pm**

Danny stood waiting patiently for her to meet him. He kept going over what he wanted to say to her but it didn't sound right. In the end he just decided to say what he felt in the moment.

He sensed more than heard her approach but he didn't turn round. She smiled and walked up to stand beside him.

"New York's beautiful isn't it?" Lindsay said.

Danny smiled and turned to face her, "Not as beautiful as my Montana."

She smiled back but the serious look on his face was enough to provide her with the tiniest bit of panic. Even though they'd been dating for a year and a half she still worried that something would happen and she would lose him. Lindsay closed the remaining distance between them and stood directly in front of him.

They looked at each other. Danny thought _It's now or never. You have to do it buddy. _

"Montana, you're probably wondering why I asked you to come up here." She smiled, he always knew what she was thinking.

"I am a bit."

"Well, I wanted to be able to watch the fireworks alone with the woman I love." Danny said watching her reaction closely and took a quick glance at his watch, 11.57, he had just 3 minutes until the ball dropped in Times Square and the fireworks started.

Lindsay smiled. She stood on her tip toes and gave him a chaste but loving kiss. When they pulled back, he looked into her eyes and realised that the time was right.

"Linds, I know that we didn't get off to the best start but I know that I wouldn't be the man I am today if it hadn't been for you. You made me want to become a better person. I know you deserve someone better than me but I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life trying to be the man you deserve…" He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the dark green velvet box. Lindsay gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "Will you marry me?"

Lindsay felt her eyes beginning to swim with tears and she looked up at Danny and saw that behind his glasses his eyes were full of tears too.

"Yes" was all she could say. The emotions that were filling her prevented her from saying anymore. She just smiled up at him as he took the ring out of its box and slipped it on her fourth finger. They stared at each other for a moment. Suddenly they heard the city below erupt in cheers and the fireworks went off. Danny looked at his watch, 12.00. Then he claimed her lips in a loving, passionate kiss.

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**A/N2: **I don't know if I should try to do a sequel or not. Let me know what you think. 


End file.
